MM University of North Texas, BM University of Southern California. Touring musician.

Learn more about Armen

• 1) When did you first develop a passion for music and your favorite instrument?

  I first developed a passion for music when I heard my family members play traditional Armenian music at home. We would often have dinner together—aunts, uncles, and all—which would inevitably lead to dancing, singing, and everyone playing some instrument. I picked up piano first at the age of 7 and eventually discovered the guitar. My father's childhood guitar was the first that I played; it was a horribly built instrument, but it worked. I learned my first songs on his guitar, like "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson and "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne.

• 2) Is there a particular type of music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  I can listen to Django Reinhardt all day; he is my first major jazz guitar idol and the musician who introduced me to the giant world of jazz. Beyond his technical mastery, Django's note choice and melodic instinct make me smile ear-to-ear to this day.

• 3) Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  Probably the most riveting course I could give personally to a student of music is a course on free jazz improvisation. Jazz is already very difficult to master, with a lot of "vocabulary" and idioms that are necessary to understand in order to play the genre proficiently. Free jazz takes that to the next level by removing the beat and often the harmony from the music and allowing the artist to communicate extemporaneously through riffs, phrases, and other musical textures without those limits. It sounds like an easy time, but in fact, it's extremely difficult to perform in a controlled and palatable way.

• 4) What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  If I had to choose, probably the theremin, because you have to control pitch, rhythm, and tone all through the extremely subtle motions of your hands over a close distance. I've never tried it before, but it sounds almost impossible to me!

• 5) What are your keys to success?

  Knowledge and habit are the keys to success, in my opinion. When solid, quality information is combined with a system, anything is possible. I'm a major proponent of not only working hard but working smart, which has a lot to do with personal development, character, and the ability to self-reflect.

• 6) Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  The three musicians I dream of meeting in my favorite bar in the early hours of the morning are Johann Sebastian Bach, because he shaped modern music as we know it; Niccolò Paganini, because he inspired virtuosity and resilience; and Ella Fitzgerald, because she set the standard for jazz vocalists.

• 7) Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  My favorite music memory is learning how to play along with my family whenever they wanted to play traditional Armenian folk songs. After my jazz training at the University of Southern California and the University of North Texas, I was able to instantly pick up the harmony to all these ancient melodies and join in. I came back to visit after my second semester of undergraduate music school at the Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, and we had a giant dinner that same night with extended family, filled with music and good cheer.

• 8) What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  The little touch that makes me a Superprof in music is my ability to relate to students at their point in the music-learning journey. I know the obstacles, desires, and ideas that come with the process of learning an instrument, and it's always exciting to watch the sparkle in a student's eye when I help them make a major breakthrough in their musical journey.